Device for rotating hanging plant and indicating dryness

Abstract

A device for rotating a hanging plant to keep it from growing lopsided. The device has counteracting coaxial tension springs of opposite hand that rotate the plant first in one direction when the plant is watered and then in the opposite direction as the plant goes from wet to dry. A weight change of 10-20% is sufficient to rotate the plant at least 1/2 turn. An indicator is responsive to changes in the length of the springs as the plant dries out and as the springs are axially unloaded.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for rotating a hanging plant comprising a first tension spring formed of a tightly twisted resilient cord with a longitudinal coil axis and having a fixed end and a free end that rotates about the coil axis when the first spring is axially loaded, said fixed end attached to a first support for suspension from a ceiling and said free end attached to a second support for suspension of a hanging plant, a second tension spring formed of a resilient tube counteracting the first spring and coaxial with the first spring but of opposite hand, said first end of the second spring attached to the first support and said second end of the second spring attached to the second support, said first spring and said second spring formed of material such that the second spring is twisted around the coil axis by the first spring when the springs are axially loaded and said first spring is twisted about the coil axis in an opposite direction by the second spring when the springs are axially unloaded thereby rotating the second support.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein the second support is rotated by at least 1/2 turn when the springs are unloaded by a 10 to 20% change in the axial load. 
     
     
       3. A device for rotating a hanging plant comprising a first tension spring with a longitudinal coil axis and having a fixed end and a free end that rotates about the coil axis when the first spring is axially loaded, said fixed end attached to a first support for suspension from a ceiling and said free end attached to a second support for suspension of a hanging plant, a second tension spring counteracting the first spring and coaxial with the first spring but of opposite hand, said first end of the second spring attached to the first support and said second end of the second spring attached to the second support,   first and second telescoping sections attached to the first and second supports and surrounding the first and second springs, said first section being shorter than the first and second springs so that the second section is not completely telescoped within the second section,   said first spring and said second spring formed of material such that the second spring is twisted around the coil axis by the first spring when the springs are axially loaded and said first spring is twisted about the coil axis in an opposite direction by the second spring when the springs are axially unloaded thereby rotating the second support.   
     
     
       4. The device of claim 3 wherein the first tension spring is a tightly twisted resilient cord and the second spring is a resilient tube. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 4 wherein the second support is rotated by at least 1/2 turn when the springs are unloaded by a 10 to 20% change in the axial load. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 4 wherein a slip ring is provided on the second telescoping section, said ring having a smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the first telescoping section such that the slip ring telescopes with the second telescoping section inside the first telescoping section. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6 wherein indicia are provided on the slip ring to indicate the moisture content of an attached plant.